I Thought You Said It Was Over
by DawnValentine
Summary: Klaus leaves Mystic Falls. Stefan follows the example. Everything becomes quiet again in Mystic Falls. But what happens when everything gets thrown up side down by emotions? Read to find out.
1. Chapter Zero - Where It Really Starts

_Chapter Zero – Where It Really Starts_

Elena was running through a very thick forest. She had no Idea where she was going or what she was running from, she just had to run if she wanted to stay alive. Which kind of death would await her if she didn't, she wasn't sure.

She just ran and ran. Suddenly she saw a forest track, and decided that it would be easier to run over that. She took the trail and ran as fast as she could, which was faster than before. It twisted and turned, but it was quite easy for her to adapt.

Suddenly the trail made a sharp right turn and she ran into a clearing. Only then she realised it was a bright day, not a dark, full-moon night.

Something in her mind told her to run, but something else told her she was safe here. She decided to go with safe. Whatever was following her would catch up soon enough.

She sat down in the middle of the clearing and saw Stefan appearing at the side of the clearing she had come from. He had a horrible, devilish – no evil – grin on his face. He tried to step forward but couldn't.

Suddenly Damon was standing in the clearing, a bit to the right from Stefan. He could step forward. _So the barrier isn't based on vampires._ "You okay?" Damon asked. She nodded slightly as she glanced at Stefan. All vamped out and blood on his chin from whoever he just killed.

"Why can't Stefan enter? You can, so it's no vampire barrier."

"Only those who mean no harm to you and who you are willing to let in can come in this clearing Elena."

Elena smiled at that. Damon then disappeared. Stefan was beating at the barrier, which had no use at all, but was slightly amusing since it burned him like vervain would.

Then behind him Klaus appeared. Then Rebekah. Then also many, many others. Most she didn't know, some she had seen before.

Then they all simultaneously launched an attack on the barrier, and there was a huge crack. So immense that Elena shrieked and lied down covering her ears. When she looked up again everyone was slowly approaching her. They were going to kill her. All of them. They wanted her, for some reason.

She couldn't take it anymore and tried to only thing she could still think of.

As everyone launched an all-out attack on her she screamed for her life.

The attempt was muffled by Stefan's hand. She fought him with all her might and when she got in a few good blows, his hand slipped from her mouth.

"DAMON!"


	2. Chapter Two - Best Present Ever

_Chapter one – Best Present Ever_

Elena shot up in bed, wet from her own sweat, wondering what had woken her. She realised soon enough it was her dream. Her nightmare. She had dreamed it a few times now. A little different each time. A little worse each time. But one thing stayed the same; Damon. _Damon._

It had been half a year since, for some reason, Klaus had decided to leave her alone and Stefan had left the night after. She had felt empty then. She had forgotten how to feel anything but anxiety or fear. She had gotten used to it by now. Pretended she felt all those things humans should feel. She guessed Damon knew something was not right. He had stayed when Stefan left. Had always been there for her, he'd be there when she'd tell him. _When? I'll tell him? Yeah. I'll tell him, it's been long enough, of all people, he's the one who'd best understand me._

It was 6 in the morning. Since Elena was too awake from all the contemplating, she just got up and started with her morning routine. Shower, get dressed and eat. Once done with those, which she had done at a very slow pace so it wouldn't be as early once she was done, she got her phone and typed a text for Damon.

_Hey, well… I kinda guess you knew all the time something was up with me, but whether you knew or not, I'd like to talk about it, could you please come over?  
~ Elena_

After checking it once, twice, she pressed the send button. She was sitting in the kitchen, the bowl of her cereal still next to her. She was visibly tired and lost. Tired of everything, lost in the nothingness her feelings had become.  
After not even a minute, her phone buzzed.

_I´ll be there in a moment.  
~ Damon_

A small smile crept onto her face as she read the message. A year ago, he wouldn't have texted her, but would've just come over once ready. But the smile shocked her more than how much Damon had changed. Because she felt the smile, it wasn't a fake.

As she was contemplating over what the smile meant, she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders. She let her head fall backwards to look into Damon's eyes. The smile crept onto her face again.

Damon gave her shoulders a small squeeze, indicating something along the lines of _I'm ready when you are._

Elena indicated Damon to sit down next to her at the table, which he did. She wouldn't have to worry about Ric, he was sleeping at Meredith's, which was perfectly fine with her.

Elena sighed once, twice, not knowing where to start. She settled on a question, just to get going.

"Did you know something was up? Before I texted you, I mean."

Damon nodded in response, but when Elena stared out the window, looking defeated, he felt like he had to explain.

"I thought it had to do with Stefan leaving, but… It became clear to me very quickly that wasn't the problem, don't know what was… is… though."

Elena looked back at him now, again with the slight, heartfelt smile. _Have I been smiling every time I've seen him? I could've… didn't pay attention before…_

"Why did you never ask what was wrong? _Whether _there was something wrong?"

This time, Damon gave a smile. Grin. Whichever you'd like to call it, it was that cocky face only he could pull.

"I didn't ask, Elena, because I figured that if you wanted to talk about it, you would."

Elena nodded, she never knew Damon could be this… kind? Kind didn't really describe it… Understanding.

"God, I've got no idea where to start." Elena mumbled, barely audible, but of course, Damon heard.

"The beginning is mostly the easiest way to start."

Elena sighed in response.

"It did start with Klaus and Stefan leaving, in a way." Elena paused, glancing towards Damon, who was patiently waiting for her to string the words, that she had to think of first, into sentences.

"When Klaus left, along with all the death and darkness, I… I didn't leave the death and darkness. I look around when I round every corner. I feel it when people are looking at me. Even when they're not I-" Tears had started to roll down her face, and they robbed her from coherent sentences. She sobbed for a minute as Damon just gently held her, not saying anything, knowing she just needed some time. Elena breathed slowly a few times, and then continued.

"I'm anxious all the time. But… in a way, that's all I really feel. I haven't felt joy. I just laughed when I thought I should. I can say something like that for about every positive emotion." Another slow breath. "I've been having nightmares. All quite alike, but… a little different every time. It got worse over time. Had one this night as well…" Elena looked away towards the window again. Calmed down by now, tears still running steadily over her cheeks.

It took Damon a minute to realize she wanted him to say something, but when he did, he asked something she wasn't expecting.

"Elena, I hope I'm not asking something you'd rather not tell me but… why tell me? And, why now? Why not last time you had a night mare, or why not later?"

Elena sighed as she heard his question. "This time was the first time I woke myself with my nightmare." Elena sighed again. "First time I screamed myself awake with your name." She added in not even a whisper. She didn't know whether he heard.

Damon simply nodded in response, he had heard, but decided not to ask before she was finished, maybe he'd never ask. He had given her up. He'd simply be waiting for as long as she lived, doing anything to make her happy. Yes, he'd probably get hurt, but it was better than seeing _her_ hurt.

Elena, once again, sighed before speaking. "The first time I had the nightmare, I was running in the woods. Didn't know from what, or who. I reached a clearing and knew I was safe. There was some kind of barrier around the clearing. You showed up inside the barrier, keeping me company, Stefan was outside of it, hitting it time and again, burning himself as if it was made from vervain, but it couldn't be a vampire barrier, because you were there. Then you disappeared and quite a while later, I woke up. So well, first time wasn't so bad but… it got worse every time, and last night, it started again with me running in the woods, like always, I was running from Stefan. I reached the clearing and sat down in the middle of it, watching Stefan hurt himself on the barrier. Then you appeared next to him and simply walked in, you asked me whether I was okay. I nodded in response and asked you how you could enter, but Stefan couldn't. You said something about how none who I didn't want to enter or who meant me harm could enter, and then you disappeared. Stefan was still hitting at the barrier, which I found slightly amusing, since it hurt him. Then behind him Klaus appeared. Then Rebekah. Then all those other people. Most of them I didn't know… They all jumped the barrier simultaneously and- and then it was like the thing exploded, such a loud bang, white flash. I had covered my ears to protect me from the blast, by the time I got up, they were all gathered around me to attack-" Elena shivered, tears still rolling, but somehow having a fairly steady voice. "They all jumped me at once, and I tried to scream, but Stefan held a hand against my mouth. I managed to hit him a few times and when his had slid from my mouth I-" Elena paused there for a moment, sighing, she moved on. "I screamed your name with all I had. Screamed myself awake. Was about 6 am…"

Elena had started staring out the window again.

It took a while before either spoke.

"I get now why you tell me now… but still, Elena, why tell me?"

"Aside from the anxiety, fear, all of that I feel all the time, I don't feel anything, Damon. I- I'd like you to try and help me with that. I told you, of all people, because I thought you'd probably best understand." Elena looked at Damon, who was still holding her, for a reaction, but his face showed so many emotions, it was unreadable, as if he didn't even know what he felt himself. "And be most willing to give up spare time helping me." Elena added.

Damon now grinned at her. "I'll help you, Elena, but then you will need to trust me and let me help you, even if I want you to do something you'd rather not. Don't get me wrong, but… I want to help you, but well…"

"I get it Damon, I'll try, okay?"

"'Kay."

They moved from the kitchen to the living room. From chairs to couch. Neither spoke, for they were both lost in thought.

Elena rested her chest on Damon's shoulder at first, but as time passed, she slowly, without even noticing, slid down, so her head rested on his chest. Her eyes were closed.

"Elena?"

"Hmm?"

"As much as I don't mind you lying like that, would you like me to try help already?"

"Got an idea then?"

"Actually, I do."

"And what would that be?"

Grin on his face, Damon replied; "A surprise."

Elena could not help the small smile that, once again, made an appearance on her face.

"Fine, a surprise then. Oh uhm Damon, I only really notice now but I guess I've got something to add to the list of reasons I'd like you to help me."

"And what would that be?" he clearly really wished to know.

"That would be that for some reason, I've been feeling the little smiles that played over my face since you're here. It would be the fact you make me feel something positive." _God, what if I end up being in love with him? He told me he had gotten over me, that what he had felt for me was over. That he had prayed we could end up together but that he had let it go. What if I love him? Would I be able to handle the pain?_ Elena shoved her thoughts aside as Damon pulled her up from the couch.

"We can either drive as close as we can get and then walk, or I get us there. Second would be faster, but the journey kind of adds to the surprise…"

Elena had a smile on her face again. "How about you run me fairly close and then we walk?"

Damon's face lit up, clearly interested in her idea. "Fine by me. So then, what'd you prefer, me carrying you, or you sitting on my back?"

"Which would be easier for you?"

Elena surprised Damon, but she had many times, he didn't need long enough to recover for Elena to notice he had been surprised.

"Carrying you."

Elena couldn't help the smile that was now continuously on her face. She walked towards Damon and let him pick her up bridal style. Damon told her to close her eyes and the moment she did, she felt the wind whipping around her, she was happy for the solidity Damon's arms provided.

Once the wind calmed down and she felt Damon putting her down, she opened her eyes again. They were at a forest. _A forest. A forest. Damn it Damon, why did you take me to a forest. I told you about my dream, didn't I?_

Damon could see the fear and tension building up in Elena's eyes.

"Calm down, Elena. I'll stay close to you, there's nothing to fear." As he said it he gave her a reassuring hug.

Elena slightly calmed down and indicated for Damon to lead the way. Damon walked ahead of her, following the trails in the forest, but never went ahead. He did stop momentarily once in a while, she guessed to listen to the sounds of the forest, or to let her catch her breath. She had always loved the sound of forests, she couldn't imagine what it'd be like with vampire hearing.

Lost in her own thoughts, Elena almost fell over a tree root. It would have made her end up in a set of stinging nettles. Luckily for her Damon had been paying close attention, and before she'd even fallen halfway, he was in front of her to catch her.

She unhooked her foot from the root and straightened herself out a bit, but Damon didn't let her go yet.

"You okay?" He asked, something in his eyes that Elena couldn't quite place. It was not worry, but then what else?

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." Elena said, as she was still looking at Damon's eyes, but when she gave up finding what his eyes were hiding, her eyes slowly moved to his lips. _His lips. Ohh god. I want to kiss him but… wait? I want to kiss him? Really? No, damn it, this can't be happening, I can't be falling in love with him! It's too late to do that. We're friends. Just friends. And if that is all we'll ever be, so be it. But I need to know the truth. Do I love him? Do I? How can I find out? How can I find out without him knowing?_

"Elena, back to earth please." Damon hadn't noticed the wandering of her eyes, or he just pretended he hadn't. Elena shot out of her inner moment. But one question kept haunting her. _Do I love him?_

"We're almost there, come on." He held out his hand for her. She accepted it, pushing all the feelings of affection aside. She let him lead her off the trail, into thicker forest. Meanwhile, her mind was still in overdrive. She had come to the conclusion she loved him. She loved Damon. And he had given her up long ago and gotten over her. She was too late and there was no one to blame but herself. And the reason, the freakin' reason she couldn't feel anything was because the day Damon told her what he had felt for her was gone, her heart had broken. She just hadn't known it at the time. And now here she was. Realizing she had loved him all along. It had always, _always_ been Damon. She just had been too stubborn to admit it, she had just been too scared of what it might bring her. She had just been too scared of being like Katherine. But the moment she realized all of this, everything came crashing down. _Everything._

She ripped her hand from his and ran in the other direction as hard as she could. She had to get away, order her thoughts. The tears were running over her cheeks before she had taken ten steps and her thought was mulling over the irony of this happening and her dream.

The moment Elena ran away, Damon was stunned for a second. He had been lost in his own thoughts, in his own hopes of helping Elena, in any way he could. It would only have been a few more minutes before they'd reach their destination. It took him a full minute before he realized Elena had run away from _him_. But what did that say? What did that mean? _God Elena, how much I love you, how much I wished we could still end up together, but I told you it was over and I need to act on that. Ready, love? Here I come, I hope you don't mind._

It took Damon a minute to find out where Elena had run off to. He decided to grant her some time for herself, so he followed her running, but only slightly faster. At some point he heard Elena gasp, and then stop running. He'd need about a minute to catch up with her now.

He then heard her walk forward. Then he heard the water. And then, _then_ he realized they had made a loop and she had, without knowing, ran to where Damon had been taking her.

He heard her move forward slowly, he heard her take her shoes off and put her feet in the water of the creek. He heard her mutter something, he heard her sigh, sob, cry.

He reached the clearing a little while later. Elena's back was towards him. He silently sat down and watched her. He heard her cry, and mutter, time and again. "Why?" she kept muttering. He had no idea what it was about, but he was just too willing to let her cry. Whatever it was, she'd have to get it out, right? If there was something he knew, then that was that stocking up feelings wasn't good, and crying was a great way to let it all out.

He watched her cry, sob, calm down and burst into tears again, until, at some point, she was out of tears. After she had calmed down again, she sighed and looked at herself in the water. For now, Damon could only imagine the tear tracks on her face. Then he heard her voice, it seemed directed towards him, but he realized soon enough she was asking her watery mirror image.

"Why was I so blind?"

_So blind? What? What the hell does she mean?_

"Why was I so stupid? So stubborn? So afraid?"

_What? What is she talking about?_

"Why was I such an idiot!?" She cried and hit the water where her face must have been. She was crying again, worse than she had before. She started to calm down a little. In a whisper, she mustered up a few more words.

"Why did I refuse to accept I love him? Now it's too late. It's too late and it's all my fault."

_What? What? Elena? Are you? Are you talking about me? Damn it, stop this hope. Damn it. Damn it. I have to know, I have to. I can't sit here any longer._

Before Damon even realized it himself, he was hugging Elena, holding her close, unable to let her go. Unable to look at her, but very ably to speak.

"Elena, I heard everything just know, I lied Elena, I never stopped loving you." It was a jump into the deep, a leap of faith to tell her, he wasn't sure whether she had been talking about him but, who else?

_He never stopped loving me? He never stopped loving me. He still loves me. He still wants me. He lied about that, yet I don't blame him. I get it, I was ready to do the same. He still loves me. I realize now that I love him and he, he still- god it only makes me love him all the more._ Elena clung to Damon, letting tears roll over her face, letting sobs consume her, but this time out of happiness, relief. _I want to kiss him. God I want to kiss him. Would he want me to? Of course he would._ Before she even realized it, she was slightly pushing at Damon, but he kept her close.

"Just let me hold you a little longer, Elena."

"You don't have to let go, Damon, I just- I-" _God why is it so hard to say, what's making it difficult? Just say it. _Then a thought came up. She'd surprise him.

"I just want to surprise you with something."

Damon had to grin at that. A surprise, of course, what else?

Damon let Elena pull back slightly, but he kept his eyes closed.

_I can't look at her right now, let her surprise me, whatever she thought of._

Elena let her eyes rest on his lips, his beautifully sculptured lips. Before she even realized it, she was moving in. _God I want this._

Damon felt her movements, even if he did not see her, he genuinely knew what she was doing, or so he thought, because when her breath hit his lips, his eyes shot open. Elena was so close to him he could barely focus. At first he saw longing in her eyes, but it soon changed to fear, anticipation, desperation. It was so fast Damon nearly missed the first, the longing. He got it instantly, she thought he would push her away. But she slowly pulled back. _God damn it, Elena, Don't pull back. Kiss me if you like, anything. Just do it._

But she was gauging his reaction. _Why did his eyes fly open so suddenly? Doesn't he want me to kiss him? He wants me to, right?_ She checked his eyes again. His eyes that had gone from utter surprise, to confusion, to love, to longing. _He wanted her to kiss him, was he just, so surprised? Doesn't matter. He wants me to._

She closed the distance between their lips as fast as she could. The moment their lips connected, she knew he had wanted her to. He reacted instantly. He was pulling her closer, but their kiss started gentle. Gentle yet, also, very passionate. Elena was first to ask for entrance. She let her tongue slide over Damon's lower lip. He replied with a low growl, opening his mouth, granting her access, as he also invaded her mouth, the gentleness of before forgotten.

He was unaware of any surroundings, he could only focus on Elena. _Elena. My Elena. Mine? Please be mine Elena, please, I beg of you be mine. I need this, being with you. The feeling it gives me it's, it's indescribable. I need you._

Damon tried to end the kiss, he desperately needed an answer. He desperately needed to know whether she'd be his. Elena didn't let him, she let out a sound that clearly indicated she didn't want him to end this yet. _Elena, please, just one question. Just one. I need to know._

Damon tried again, this time Elena let him. He had opened his eyes, but Elena hadn't. _God, she's beautiful._

Elena was still breathing heavily as she slowly opened her eyes. She was still holding him. She looked at his eyes, searching for why he had ended the kiss. She saw hope, so much hope, that tears welled up in her eyes. She only realized now how much she had hurt him. How much pain she had caused him. He deserved her. Of all people, _he_ deserved her. When Damon didn't say anything, but clearly wanted to, Elena raised an eyebrow.

Damon had been trying to get the words out, but somehow it was more difficult than he had thought. _What if she says no? Or even maybe? Would I survive that?_ Damon downcast his eyes, let them wander, trying to find courage in the waterfall, in the trees, the water, the sound of the forest, but he didn't.

"What is it, Damon? What's wrong?" Elena's slightly scared voice got him talking.

"It's just that… that… Elena, god how do I ask this? Elena, please, will you- will you-" Damon took a deep breath and looked her in the eye, he had to see her reaction, even if it'd hurt.

"Please be mine, Elena. I love you, I- I want you. I need you. Please-" the pleas were rolling from his lips, and he didn't even mind. He didn't mind, because a beaming Elena was sitting before of him.

"I'm yours, Damon." It came out as whisper, but it shut him up very effectively. Before she knew it, his lips were on hers again. She gladly kissed him back, and let him lay her down on the ground.

He made sure he wouldn't lean on her as he hovered over her. He ended the kiss and pulled back slightly. He then gave her a quick kiss on her lips, before slowly tailing kisses to her chin, over her jaw line, to her ear, down her neck.

"Damon, I- Please, I- I don't-"

Damon had pulled back the moment he heard her protest. _Why is she protesting? What's wrong? She loves me, right? So what's wrong?_

"What's wrong?"

"I just- I don't want to do this out here. Nor do I want to rush into this."

Damon smiled at that. He didn't mind.

"Take all the time you need then, I'll wait for you to be ready." After a second he decided to add; "I've already waited so long for you, I can add the time you need to get comfortable about this."

"I'm sorry." Elena downcast her eyes.

"What?" _What for? What are you sorry for? Please don't tell me you don't want this after all. Don't do that to me Elena, it'd kill me._

"I'm sorry, Damon. I'm sorry for making you wait this long."

_The waiting already proved to be worth it, Elena. The slight chance of having you would have always been worth it. No matter what._

"No problem Elena, I'm just too happy someone's choosing me for once, and that someone being you is just- just more than I could ever have hoped for."

Elena had to smile at that. Damon just wanted to be loved. It's all he ever really wanted.

"Please take us home, Damon."

"Which would be your or my place?"

"With the possibility of Ric having returned to mine, that would be yours."

Damon grinned and picked her up bridal stile without warning her. This earned him a surprised shriek from Elena. He chuckled because of it.

"Hold on tight. Oh, and I dare you to try to keep your eyes open."

Elena held tight to him, but she refused to let him win a dare. She nodded at him to get going. The wind was all around her again, and she saw green and brown pass by, everything was just a bit too fast to be able to form a sharp picture, but she could tell when they passed a tree.

Before she knew it, they were out of the woods, and Damon sped up. She hadn't thought he'd be able to go any faster, he proved her wrong. Whole houses now became just a blur shooting past her. She couldn't tell what was what anymore. She turned her head around to look at Damon. The only still part in the blur around her. He grinned at her, and she smiled back. She closed her eyes and placed her head in the crook of his neck. She was already home. Damon was her home, and always would be.

She pictured her future with Damon. She had also done that once with Stefan. Back then she had seen herself growing older, marrying Stefan, and dying. She saw the same happening with Damon, but another future occurred to her. A future where she did not age. The future that's called forever.

The wind stopped and she felt she was being placed on soft blankets. She opened her eyes to see she was in the boarding house, in Damon's room, looking into Damon's longing eyes. Her arms were still around his neck, and she pulled him down for a brief kiss. He gladly let her.

When he pulled back, there was still the same amount of longing and love in his eyes, the disbelief that Elena was finally his. A huge smile was plastered on his face.

They looked at each other like that for a while, until Damon pulled back, forcing Elena to let go. He sat on the side of the bed, and gently stroked her cheek with the palm of his hand.

Elena slightly turned her head into his hand, loving the touch, the gentle gesture. Suddenly, there was a huge grin on Damon's face.

Elena didn't like it one bit. Such a grin usually meant he was up to something. She raised one eyebrow in question, which earned her an explanation.

"I just remembered that today is my birthday."

"Well, you already got a present then, hmm? Best one of your life I guess."

"Yeah, you could put it that way." Damon leaned in for a quick kiss, but Elena wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in. So much for a brief kiss. By the time they broke apart, Damon was lying beside her, having her wrapped in his arms. Exactly what she had wanted to achieve. She reached down and pulled the covers over them.

"What are you planning that has to be hidden from view Elena?" Damon asked teasingly.

"I just prefer lying beneath blankets, Damon, so shut up."

"Fine, Elena, I don't care. I've got you now, and I'm never letting you go. It's going to be difficult enough seeing you age as I won't. I won't mind. It's your choice, but it's still going to hurt, you know?"

Elena had to smile slightly at that, a sad smile, but still, a smile, because she knew something he did not. She _considered_ forever with him. And she'd tell him.

"You know Damon, on the way back here, I pictured my future with you. I saw the same kind of future I used to think of with Stefan. I'd age, marry you, grow old, and die. But my life was a lot more fun with you. But then I realised there was another future. Another future I consider. A future where I don't age…"

Damon didn't know what to say. _She considers becoming a vampire? For me? Really? But- Elena, don't do it for me. It's you choice, yours only._

"Elena, don't become a vampire for me. If you want to become a vampire, then want it for yourself. Please Elena, promise me you won't turn unless _you_ want to."

"Silly you, Damon. I didn't consider that future because I knew it'd well, make you ecstatic, I consider it, because I just might want eternity with you."

"God, Elena, can this day get any better?"

Elena chuckled at that. "It just might, the day's long from over. And I never mentioned how much time I'd need." With that, she rolled over so she was hovering over Damon. She was still wearing the short pants and top she had turned into this morning, which she knew must be driving him crazy. And they were. Big time.

_God Elena, you're torturing me. And you know it! Yet it's so sweet in a way. Sweet torture. Great. I'm turning into a masochist._

Elena crashed her lips to Damon's. He automatically responded, and he didn't hold anything back. He got her head reeling from the passion in the kiss.

When they broke apart, both were breathing heavily. _He's either so consumed with my presence and love that he can't think or he's trying his best not to let his hands wander. Get ready Damon, I'm going to see just how amazed you are, or how much self-control you have._

Elena laid back down on her side, next to Damon. She let her hand rest on his chest, as she used the other to support her head. She knew he had a good view on her décolleté. And her hand, well she started to let it wander, had to drive him crazy. His eyes were fixed on her face, as she followed the movements of her hands with her eyes. He then slowly allowed his eyes to wander. To her beautifully sculptured lips. To the slender hand supporting her head, to her décolleté, that was an immense distraction at first, but soon seemed a promise for more. His eyes fell onto her eyes again, and now she was looking at him with a grin. He grinned back, distracted by her hand wandering over his chest.

She wasn't paying attention to her hand anymore, and found it fumbling at the first button of his shirt. She had to grin at herself. She used both hands to undo the buttons, and in no time at all, in human terms, she had his shirt open. She slowly slid it aside to let her hand wander over his bare chest. God the looks of him. He just looked too good.

Before she knew it, she was kissing him again. She trailed kisses over his chest, down, up, diagonally, anything she felt like.

"Elena…" Damon whispered. He wanted to let her know he liked it, but he didn't want her to stop. She didn't. She just grinned and trailed back up his chest, towards his throat, then aside to his neck. She trailed kisses up his neck, and then nibbled at his earlobe. This earned her a muted, but still audible gasp. Then she let her tongue slowly slide down his neck again. Then, suddenly, she closed the little distance that still existed between her mouth and his neck. She bit him, with teeth and all. She didn't know what kind of reaction would come, but she hadn't expected what happened next.

Suddenly, she was pinned down on the bed, Damon hovering over her, avoiding her gaze any way he could. Elena didn't struggle, she knew he'd never hurt her.

"Damon?"

She didn't get an answer, she tried again.

"Hey Damon, look at me."

He still didn't look at her

"Look at me." She tried again, now with a sure voice.

He slowly turned his face towards her. She could see the veins under his eyes pulsing. His black eyes. She could practically see how much he was fighting himself. Keeping himself from biting her and draining every last drop of her blood. She slowly tried to pull her hands out of his grasp. slowly, so she wouldn't surprise him. She was sure to keep looking at him, let him know she was fine. the last thing she needed was to surprise Damon right now, so she slowly placed her hands on either side of his face. she let her thumbs slide over the visible veins, secretly mesmerized with… how beautiful it actually was. _Is it really okay to find this beautiful? don't care._ one hand slowly moved, one finger on his lips.

"I'm not afraid of you, Damon." She knew he kinda knew that, but she also knew how much just hearing something can be of help. and it was of big help. the veins started to fade, his facial expression becoming less forced, his eyes brighter, slowly turning into the ocean blues that were the first thing she ever noticed about him.

As he relaxed on top of her, he gave the finger that was still on his lips a small kiss.

"What did I do to ever deserve this?" He asked more to himself than to anyone, Elena replied anyway.

"Being a vampire?" She totally misunderstood.

"No," Damon chuckled, a smile playing over his face "I meant to deserve you, being here, wanting _me_." The love in his eyes was showing.

Somehow Elena found words to answer that. "You love me, you always have. But you were selfless enough to not let that get to you and to do exactly what I needed. You sacrificed yourself so many times Damon, it's a miracle you're still alive. And I? I was stubborn enough not to see how much you mean to me."

With every word, Damon's smile grew. He let himself fall onto his side next to her, wrapping her into his arms. Not a word was said. There wasn't a reason to say anything. Everything of importance had already been mentioned.

Both fell asleep, loving the proximity. Both had a smile on their face. And both didn't care what tomorrow would bring. They were happy now, and they'd never let that go.


End file.
